Bridging the IUCN Global Standard with governance and engagement tools: multi-method lessons from five Mediterranean case studies for strengthening water security
Makaleler > Tam Makale · 2026
Yazarlar: Sara Peláez-Sánchez, Claudia Sánchez, Raquel Marijuan, Barbara Díez, Olympia Papadopoulou, Patricia Marín Poveda, Andrés Florencio Alcántara Valero, Jesús Iglesias Saugar, Raúl Sánchez, Isabel Martín, Ampas Vasileios, Theodoros Stavrakas, Alberto Carletti, Alessandra Paulotto, Başar Şirin, M. Tolga Esetlili, Irem Orman, Khaled Amiri, Carmen María Pérez-Juan
Nature-Based Solutions, Uluslararası, Scopus, 2026, cilt 9, ss 100327-100327
DOI: 10.1016/j.nbsj.2026.100327
Özet
In the Mediterranean region, water security is increasingly threatened as climate-induced scarcity and burgeoning agricultural demand create a structural imbalance that exceeds the regenerative capacity of natural hydrological systems. While local Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer a pathway to resilience through diverse socio-environmental co-benefits, their widespread uptake remains hindered by a recognized deficit in standardized methodologies and comprehensive performance valuation. The aim of this study is to identify key lessons from the assessment of five Full Water-Cycle Nature-based Solutions (FWC-NbS) case studies (CS) within agricultural settings, utilizing the International Union for Conservation of Nature Global Standard for NbS (IUCN GS). While the IUCN GS demonstrably identifies challenges and opportunities for improving NbS design and implementation, its application can impose a top-down structure, potentially limiting its ability to fully capture the complexity of small-scale interventions. To mitigate this, a multi-method approach incorporating governance and engagement tools, particularly co-design processes facilitated by a Mediterranean Community of Practice (MedCoP), provides a critical complementary bottom-up perspective. The results support that the IUCN Global Standard is a robust, systematic framework that substantially strengthens NbS design and facilitates the identification of opportunities and recommendations. Moreover, the integrated multi-methodology establishes a potent system that reinforces operational protocols within site-specific contexts. This combined approach corroborates the IUCN GS challenge identification, promotes participatory governance, effectively integrates local knowledge, and captures crucial site-specific nuances. The combined application of the IUCN GS and the multi-method approach has yielded site-specific recommendations for enhancing water security across the five FWC-NbS interventions. However, the operationalization of these NbS, despite their inherent potential, presents critical implementation challenges, particularly constraints related to data scarcity driven by budget and time limitations.